1) Smart Guide recording which records future shows based on keywords from the title or description, i.e. "Beatles" or "Gordon Ramsey"
2) Grid layout for EPG data
3) The ability to watch a show in one window and set recordings in another window
4) An export feature to keep save recordings to a different file format
5) A way to mark commercials to skip when watching

Nate did reach out to me about this question of "what could we do to make our SW work for you" and I do appreciate that. He thought that the TV Guide issues would be a turning point for us EyeTV users. I told him that - for years now - we've been using Schedules Direct ($25/year) and a program called MC2XML to prepare an XML file (via a nightly script) that EyeTV on our Mac Mini can use for guide data. For us anyway - that works great.

We tried Channels DVR and liked it a lot except for one thing - they don't have an OSX viewing app. And they don't plan to. We only watch live and recorded TV on the TV that is connected to our Mac Mini. We just don't use any smaller devices for viewing. You *can* use a browser interface for viewing Channels DVR content but it's not close to the experience of using their app.

We plan to keep using EyeTV for several more years. Even if they don't ever make a 64-bit version, we're ok as long as we don't go past OSX Mojave. And we will always keep a copy of the EyeTV installer for version 3.6.9 (7520) - the last one that recognizes HDHomerun tuners.

But hopefully there will be a better option before we are forced to stop using it.

One other thing that eyeTv did that I miss is viewing with a scrub function. This requires a mouse or trackball as far as I know so most media players can't even attempt it. The eyeTV software does this natively so I never needed or used a fast forward, rewind, or skip control. So all these other media players feel like I'm controlling a 30 year old tape based VCR, not a computer file that I should be able to smoothly access any part of the recording without delay. I guess designing the interface assuming that you only have a limited set of buttons on a remote leads to a radically different user interface than if you assume the user has a mouse.

I'd very much like to discuss the differences between the HDHomeRun app and EyeTV with any EyeTV users in a less formal setting, like on the phone or via live chat with the goal of seeing where the HDHomeRun app could better fit your needs. If any EyeTV users are interested in chatting, feel free to send me a DM. Or if you can't, say so here, and I'll message you.

NateB,

I'd be interested in speaking with you about this, but I'm too new to the forum to have access to PM. Please reach out to me at [email removed by moderator] and we can go from there.

I updated your account and you should now be able to send private messages.
(new accounts are restricted to prevent any spammers that get through our traps from being able to spam via PM, but we can remove the limitation from individual accounts upon request)

I updated your account and you should now be able to send private messages.
(new accounts are restricted to prevent any spammers that get through our traps from being able to spam via PM, but we can remove the limitation from individual accounts upon request)

SD thought that the TV Guide issues would be a turning point for us EyeTV users. I told him that - for years now - we've been using Schedules Direct ($25/year) and a program called MC2XML to prepare an XML file (via a nightly script) that EyeTV on our Mac Mini can use for guide data. For us anyway - that works great.

We tried Channels DVR and liked it a lot except for one thing - they don't have an OSX viewing app. And they don't plan to. We only watch live and recorded TV on the TV that is connected to our Mac Mini. We just don't use any smaller devices for viewing. You *can* use a browser interface for viewing Channels DVR content but it's not close to the experience of using their app.

We plan to keep using EyeTV for several more years. Even if they don't ever make a 64-bit version, we're ok as long as we don't go past OSX Mojave. And we will always keep a copy of the EyeTV installer for version 3.6.9 (7520) - the last one that recognizes HDHomerun tuners.

I am pretty much in accord with the above. Haven't tried Channels DVR, but I may have to look into the app for our Apple TV 4Ks.

I also have a copy of the EyeTV 3.6.9 (7520) installer just in case I decide to use EyeTV with my HD HomeRun Extend and Connect Quatro tuners, which due to the loss of all HDHomeRun Premium TV channels as of today I now regret buying recently. Before subscribing to HDHomeRun, I looked at some alternatives for the same content, and I guess I now have to revisit those options.

I paid Geniatech for an annual TV Guide EPG subscription for EyeTV that is not supposed to expire until late August 2019. That TV Guide quit at the beginning of February, and Geniatech is completely unresponsive to inquiries. Guess it's a Trump/China thing. In order to still use three EyeTV tuners (2 Hybrids and an EyeTV 250+) with the superior EyeTV software, I use web browser to remote schedule OTA programs to record in Titan TV (free) then import the recordings scheduled into EyeTV on a 2012 Mac mini. For general information, not recording, I also use the ATSC/OpenCable Program Guide Update in EyeTV for daily updates to the EyeTV Program Guide in the absence of the TV Guide.

As mentioned in another post, the EyeTV software provides a much better user experience for editing EyeTV recordings than anything that I've found for editing other DVR recordings like HDHomeRun. Also, I find it a bit more awkward but manageable to edit HDHomeRun recordings using Elgato's legacy Turbo.264 HD app.

I'd very much like to discuss the differences between the HDHomeRun app and EyeTV with any EyeTV users in a less formal setting, like on the phone or via live chat with the goal of seeing where the HDHomeRun app could better fit your needs. If any EyeTV users are interested in chatting, feel free to send me a DM. Or if you can't, say so here, and I'll message you.

I'd very much like to discuss the differences between the HDHomeRun app and EyeTV with any EyeTV users in a less formal setting, like on the phone or via live chat with the goal of seeing where the HDHomeRun app could better fit your needs. If any EyeTV users are interested in chatting, feel free to send me a DM. Or if you can't, say so here, and I'll message you.

Is there any follow to report?

Not so far. I've spoken to a few users and now have at least some idea of what's needed. Big stuff is basically a more robust record engine with better tools for dealing with weird and offset schedules.

At the moment, we don't really have the bandwidth to implement something like that. But it's clear that when we can, we're going to want to take a deep dive into how we handle recordings to accommodate EyeTV, MCE, and others who have needs that don't quite match what we give.

With HDHR Premium TV working with my PlexPass, SD duped me into purchasing an HDHR Extend then a Quatro. Now that I'm limited to OTA again, I'm switching back to my EyeTV Hybrids (2008 and 2009) as well as the EyeTV 250+ occasionally. I'm used to how well I could edit EyeTV recordings with the legacy EyeTV software. What a waste of my money to experiment with Silicon Dust. Feeling about the same as I do about that Chinese rip-off, Geniatech, that took over and abandoned EyeTV midway through my prepaid subscription.

As of 7PM EST there are no listings from TV Guide. Numerous people have opened tickets with Geniatech over the past few days with response of "we're working on it."
Time to move on. I love the HDHomeRun for OTA that is accessible from numerous devices so will stick with their hardware but will be trying other software that supports Mac OS.

Yes, I am now using Emby for recordings and the HDHomerun software for live tv like watching the news.

Emby does seem to be fairly sluggish using the web interface. First the delay while what I assume transcoding is happening/buffering. It then takes a lot of time to do anything like change channels. Bad also for fast-forward and rewind. Then there is the problem of doing too much ff/rw as it locks the video so have to re-queue. Also have the problem that if there is a glitch in the video feed the player may not be able to handle it from that point forward. Have to start up VLC to watch the rest of the video (after finding the file).

It seems that none of these are made for multiple windows - I have a 4 tuner box but can only see one at a time - no picture-in-picture.

Yes, I am now using Emby for recordings and the HDHomerun software for live tv like watching the news.

Emby does seem to be fairly sluggish using the web interface. First the delay while what I assume transcoding is happening/buffering. It then takes a lot of time to do anything like change channels. Bad also for fast-forward and rewind. Then there is the problem of doing too much ff/rw as it locks the video so have to re-queue. Also have the problem that if there is a glitch in the video feed the player may not be able to handle it from that point forward. Have to start up VLC to watch the rest of the video (after finding the file).

It seems that none of these are made for multiple windows - I have a 4 tuner box but can only see one at a time - no picture-in-picture.

These are issues that the developers are keenly aware and are working a solution. I'm not sure how well PlexDVR is handling things right now. I haven't used it in a while. Maybe I'll take a look-see again.